R.I.P.:Pioneering Texas Broadcaster Stan McKenzie

Stan McKenzie

Radio personality Stan McKenzie died on Monday.

He was 89-years-of age accirding to the Seguin Gazette.

McKenzide moved to Seguin in 1950 and became a radio personality, station manager and later one of the owners of KWED 1580 AM.

“I came into contact with Stan McKenzie more than 50 years ago when I joined the station; he was the station manager at the time,” former KWED personality Ed Engelbardt said.

“It was my pleasure to work with him for many years and I just am glad I was part of that team in those days and will miss him very much. The thing I remember the most is how he treated his employees with a bunch of respect and we respected him. We had a small staff at the time, but he instilled in us a good work ethic. He was a very nice person to be around.”

At the time the radio station operated only in the daytime — they signed on at sunrise and signed off at sunset, Engelhardt said. However, with McKenzie’s help, they were able to obtain a full-time license to operate all day, everyday. He also helped the station get a FM license so they could broadcast on as both an FM and AM station, Engelhardt said.

During his career as a radio broadcaster, McKenzie was a color announcer for the Southwest Conference, announcing college football on the weekends during football season, Engelhardt said.

McKenzie had an extensive list of involvement as the Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters to the President of the Texas Education Broadcast Association.

“He was involved in so many civic organizations, he loved the community,” Wallock said. “He touched so many lives that we will never know the total impact of his life. If there was something going on in Seguin, he was there or if he wasn’t there then he’d send somebody there.”
Wallock said she’ll always remember McKenzie’s smile, sense of humor and how genuine he was.